Whether you're looking for a string quartet of a nine-piece band, sample online demos before you set up meetings, and check out DJs' pages on SoundCloud.com. You can also seek out music by asking your venue for recs, going to a live gig, or searching YouTube for videos of potential groups. And when you're interviewing acts, don't forget to ask these questions.

Do you do this full-time? If not, you might get your bandleader's voice mail 10 times the Friday before your wedding because of an all-day meeting at his "real job."

Have you played our venue before? A veteran will make the day go way more smoothly, since he or she already knows the site's set-up and unloading procedures.

Do you have references? Former brides can tell you if the band kept everyone dancing for hours — or misread the crowd and killed the vibe by 10 p.m.

Can you learn new songs? Musicians should be able to pick up a few special requests with four to six weeks' notice at no extra cost.